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H. Y.& E. B. GASTNER. MANUFACTURE OF AMMONIA AND BONE BLAUK.

Patented Sept. 5, 1882:,

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PATENT HAMILTON Y. GASTNER AND EDWIN B. OASTNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MANUFACTURE OF AMMONIA AND BONE-BLACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,856, datedv September 5, 1882.

Application filed July 24, 1882. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HAMILTON Y. GASlNER and EDWIN B. GASTNER, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Ammonia and. Bone-Black, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the manufacture of ammonia and bone-black and it consists in a process, and also in an apparatus, hereinafterfully described, whereby we are enabled to secure a superior article of bone-black, andobtain a very large percentage of ammonia in a form readily available for future conversion; also securing final products free from bone, oil, and tar. An important feature is the continuity of the process, whereby a large percentage of am monia is secured and a uniform grade of black produced.

Our process consists essentially in first passing crushed bone continuously through a heated vessel or cylinder, thereby charring the bone, then conducting it without exposure to air into an air-tight receptacle, in drawing the gaseous products from the cylinder, combining them with air, passing the combined gases throughheated pipes, then over heated slaked lime, and finally cooling the gases and bringing them in intimate contact with an acid, thereby forming salt of ammonia in solution. By this process the production of the bone-black and the salts of ammonia is rendered continuous, the lossof time, labor, and heat resulting from intermittent processes is avoided, and a much larger percentage of valuable products is secured.

Different appliances may be employed in carrying out the process. In the drawings we show an apparatus which has proved to be the most efficient, Figure 1 being a front elevation, in part section, of the apparatus; Fig. 2, a plan; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of the carbonizing-cylinder and feed appliances; and Fig. 4, a rear View of the cylinder, its outlets, and bone-black-receiving vessel.

The outer walls ,,A, of the apparatus inclose fines, chambers, and tire-places, as hereinafter described, and support three or any desired number of hollow vessels, B O G, of any suitable shape, cylinders being shown, each extending from the front to the back, the cylinders G (3 being connected together at or near the rear ends. The cylinder B is the carbonizer, and is arranged above a fire-place, D. The cylinders O G are above a fire-place, D, both fire-places communicating through a. flue, a" as, with a central chamber, X, (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1,) from which the products of the combustion of the coal escape to an uptake, F.

Above the cylinder Bis arranged a receptafrom the rear end of the cylinder would cause a the instant burning of the bone, it is necessary to exclude the air, which we effect by collecting the particles in a closed receptacle, T, and to maintain the continuity of the operation without using too large a receptacle we.provide the discharge-pipe B with two forks or branches, 6 0, each with a coupling to connect it to the receptacle T, and with a switch-valve, c, by means of which the black may be directed to either branch, so that when a receptacle, T, is filled theflow may be sent into another receptacle communicating with the other branch, while the first is removed, cooled, and emptied.

In the pipe to, receiving the gases from the cylinder B, is an air-inlet, d, into which air will be drawn, together with the gases from the cylinder B, by anexhaust-fan, J, or other exhaust apparatus, as hereinafter described. The pipe ct extends downward to the bottom of the chamber X, and is then formed into coils Z, (dotted lines, Figs. 1 and 2,) of any suitable form, so as to expose a large surface to the heat produced from fires D and D for the purpose of oxidizing the hydrocarbons and reducing the nitrogen compounds to a simple form.

The pipe at, leadin g from the coil Z, extends to and connects with the front end of one of the cylinders O C. These cylinders are partially filled with slaked lime, part of which combines with the hot gases flowing from the pipe a, forming, with portions of said gases, .a

carbonate of lime, the nitrogenous gases being simultaneously converted into ammonia by the hydrogen of the decomposing hydrate of lime. The ammoniacal gas, together with part of the products of combustion of the hydrocarbon while in the coil Z, passes into a pipe,f, which is formed into a worm, g, and arranged in a tank,k,through which cold water constan tly flows, thus cooling the gas and condensing the water resulting from the extraction of water from the lime, and from the oharring of the bone and the combustion of the volatile pro ducts. The lime which has become partially carbonated may be withdrawn from the cylinders, reslaked, and used again until completely saturated with carbonic acid.

Several cylinders 0 may be arranged and connected, so that one or more may be emptied and refilled while the gas is directed to the others to avoid interrupting the process. The gas and liquid from the coil 9 pass through a pipe, h, which is connected with a small tank, 1', to receive the liquid, which consists of water holding in solution corbonate of ammonia formed in the cylinders (J G and the condenser g, and constituting one of the products of the process. The uncondensed ammonia and other gases passing from the tank 11 and received by the exhaust-fan J, which exerts a suction on the whole apparatus,are driven into a chamber at the bottom of a tower, L, which contains a mass of coke orother suitable material, through which the gas flows upward, while sulphuric orhy drochlorio acid ofmoderatel y concen trated strength flows downward, the ammonia-gas I being absorbed by the acid to form sulphate or chloride of ammonia in a solution, which is discharged through acock, at. The gas which has been deprived of ammonia by the acid passes out of the top of the tower. The acid solution which is .drawn. off at the cock 'Ill is pumped back to flow down the tower again and take more ammonia, which operation is repeated until the acid has become saturated or neutralized.

various other forms may be employed, and

other details of our apparatus may be varied while carrying out the principle ofour process.

Any hydrate of an alkali will be an equivalent of the lime in the process described.

It will be apparent, where it is desired only to manufacture ammonia, guano, hair, or other material rich in nitrogen may be used in place ot bone. v

We are aware that in the formation of ammoniacal products from bone air has been introduced into the calcining-retort, and the gaseous and vaporous products escaping from the retort have been conducted over highlyheated lime and through a spray of acidulated water; but our invention is distinguished from such treatment by the admission of the air to the vapors and gases after the same have left the calcining-retort, whereby the final product is continuously secured in a more perfect condition and in larger quantities.

We claim- 1. The improvement in the manufacture of boneblack andammonia, consisting in charring the bone in closed vessels without access of air, and subsequently combining air with the volatile portion-s from the bone, heating the mixed gases, and then passing such gases over hot slaked lime through a cooler, and then into intimate contact with acid, substantially as set forth.

2. The process herein described for manufacturing ammonia, which consists in passing the bone or like nitrogenous material continuously through a highly-heated closed chamber, the gases developed being simultaneously conducted from the heated chamber and mingled with air, substantially as and for the pur' pose specified. v 3. In the manufacture of ammonia, charring the material, oxidizing the gases bypassing the same, with air, through heated pipes, and decomposing the nitrogenous gases, and forming ammonia by passing the said gases over hot slaked lime, substantially as set forth.

4. In apparatus for the manufacture of ammonia from bone and like material, the combination of a closed retort, a pipe for conducting the gases and vapors therefrom, said pipe provided with an air-induction orifice, and a detachable closed receptacle for the reception and cooling of the material which has been heated in the retort, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, with the closed retort havingthe screw-conveyer arranged therein, of the branched discharge-pipe having a valve arranged to control the branch pipes alternately, and the detachable cooling-receptacle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In an apparatus for the treatment of bone and similar material and the manufacture of ammonia, the combination of a closed retort having a vapor or gas pipe provided with an air-inlet, a closed receptacle for receiving the contents of the retort, a heating-worm connected with the vapor-pipe of the retort, and one or more lime-retorts connected with the heating-worm, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The combination, with the carbonizing and lime cylinders, of a pipe, on, having an airinlet, and formed into coils arranged within a heating-chamber, for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination, with the carbonizing and lime cylinders and connecting-pipe and heating-coil, of an air-inlet and an exhauster, for the purposes set forth.

9. The combination of the oarbonizing and continuously, the pipe at, having an airs-inlet, and the lime-retorts, condensing-coil, and absorption and exhaust apparatus, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our 10 names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HAMILTON Y. OASTNER. EDWIN B. GASTNER.

Witnesses:

J NO. LEONARD, F. S. WEEMAN, Jr. 

